2017 Dodgers In Review: RP Fabio Castillo

What Happened In 2017: Signed after a stint with the Korea Baseball Organization, pitched decently at Triple-A, got a cup of coffee and is heading back overseas.

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Fabio Castillo, 28, was a minor-league signing in January 2017 and got an invite to Spring Training. After eight innings in the Cactus League, he was sent to minor-league camp. He began the season with Oklahoma City. After one game, he was demoted to Tulsa for three games before being promoted back to OKC. He was with the OKC Dodgers through the end of August.

In June, he was added to the 40-man roster but not recalled to the majors. The reason was because he was drawing interest from teams overseas — likely in the KBO, as he pitched for the Hanwha Eagles in 2016.

His best outing of the season came in May against the River Cats. He threw six innings of 1-run ball, didn’t walk anyone and struck out eight hitters. He did so with an impressive fastball — velocity-wise — a slider and a changeup. He had some other decent outings, but nothing terribly overwhelming. He also had a couple stints on the MiLB disabled list.

The best moment of Castillo’s 2017 may have come off the field, as he missed a week in late-April/early-May on the paternity list. Congrats to he, his significant other and the baby Castillo.

Four months later, he was part of the first wave of September call-ups — one of the only things in the game that could rival bringing a child into this world.

During his MLB debut, he recorded just four outs while giving up two runs and three hits. His two outings came on back-to-back days against the Padres in early September. His first outing was 1 1/3 scoreless innings. His second was one in which he didn’t record an out and gave up three hits and the two runs. He was designated for assignment on Sept. 6 and outrighted to Triple-A on Sept. 14. Following the season, he elected free agency.

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2018 Status: Minor-league free agent. He has a live arm, so a team could take a chance on him. He could also find himself heading back overseas if teams are still interested.

About Dustin Nosler

Dustin Nosler began writing about the Dodgers in July 2009 at his blog, Feelin' Kinda Blue. He co-hosts a weekly podcast with Jared Massey called Dugout Blues. He is a contributor/editor at The Hardball Times. He graduated from California State University, Sacramento, with his bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in digital media. While at CSUS, he worked for the student-run newspaper The State Hornet for three years, culminating with a 1-year term as editor-in-chief. He resides in Stockton, Calif., and has yet to be shot.